Social

Living Learning Communities

Your USM experience is about preparing you academically for your future, but it’s also about the people you meet here and the experiences you have with them inside and outside the classroom. At USM, we support our students by placing those with similar academic and social interests on the same residential floor. Your interest-based co-curricular learning community will also be connected to one of your first year courses so that you have the advantage of connecting your academic and social experiences.

In addition to connecting you with peers who have similar interests, living in university housing gives you special access to USM professors and staff, exclusive programming and services, and invitations to targeted social events. All first year residential students will participate in an experiential lab that connects you with peers, faculty, and staff through project based learning and trips.

We support students through living and learning communities because it works. Studies show that students who live in learning communities are far more likely to succeed during their college years:

These students experience a smooth transition into their new environment.

They build, maintain and utilize important social networks.

Their relationships with professors and mentors are enhanced by an increased access to assistance.

They are more likely to feel at home while away from home, perceiving their residence hall as academically and socially supportive.

When you complete your housing application, you can choose your top three learning communities of interest.

USM offers an array of interest-based communities from which to choose: